The 'Beast.'

I awakened this morning to the sound of slow moving traffic, the sound deadened implying that the 'Beast from the East' had arrived.  Indeed three inches of snow has brought the nation to its knees!  Schools close, people 'work from home' whatever that means, and snowmen arise from back gardens here, there and everywhere.  
Only an idiot would venture out early in the morning to take pictures of snow similar to the snow seen in the past.  Therefore at 6:45 am this morning I, wearing the old Royal Mail boots I found under the bed, waiting until the council gardeners tractor with snow plough fitted raced by, I sauntered out Ernest Shackleton style across the park.

  
My hope that I was the first to cross in the snow was quickly disappointed, not only feet had trod this way before but some clot on a bike had cycled across heading for work and an accident somewhere along the road.  

Few others were seen, none spoke as I might be dangerous.  Quite how dangerous someone can be in three inches of snow early before seven in the morning does not strike me that clearly, though I can understand misery at that time people being unwilling to work on such a day.  Who can blame them?  I wonder if any postmen will arrive?  It is one thing to drive a van around the main roads but the back roads will not be cleared.  Those forced to push those barrows will be unwilling to go up the hills with them, difficult and dangerous I would say, so I suspect mail will be hindered understandably for a few days.

    
The town is covered in snow and I hear that London is also suffering.  This is good as it is about time they endured what the rest of the nation has to cope with.  If however it lies then a disaster will be called and troops will be out on the streets.  Poor Londoners.

I will do my bit for the nation while under this terrible blizzard, I will remain indoors drinking tea and laughing at those wandering abroad.  I suspect it will all have gone by tomorrow...

The snow having stopped I cleared the short path to our front door considering that if I didn't the snow underneath would harden in the icy night and become dangerous.  Naturally five minutes after I did so a passing thirty minute shower of heavy snow fell and covered it all again.  I suspect this will continue on and off all day.  I'm not doing it again....

The cheery weathermen, well the not so cheery lassie standing on the TV roof freezing to death, inform us there will be two more days of this stuff.  I might go out and panic buy a loaf of bread later. I wonder how they survive in Norway without difficulty as we strive valiantly against two or three days of the stuff every five or ten years or so?
Is it just me or am I the only person who suddenly wishes to eat ice cream...?

     
Maybe we ought to have a competition, who can come up with a better name than 'Beast from the East?'  I suppose the name originated in the tabloid media though some suggest it was in the Met Office itself,who knows?  However the people who name storms Suzanne or Geoff are well capable of such things I suggest.  Personally I would prefer 'Storm' or 'Gales' as to names on such things likewise 'Severe snowstorm' to 'Beast from the East.'  I would think those out in such weather may have their own name for such snowfall of course, none of which ought to be seen on here. 
How boring it is when there is little to say but "It snowed!"  Nothing else is happening, football is off because of snow, politics is off because of politicians, TV is off because of the programmes.  So I am off to finish lunch and go back to bed, it's warmer there...